To-day I had my hair cut and as I have said in the past I would rather go to the dentist than have this done. I was going to ask for it to be cut shorter as it was at shoulder level and I have a horror of some-one, seeing my back view, thinking ‘there’s a nice young girl with long hair’ only to be utterly shocked when I turn round and they see I am not. I don’t know about you, but I do get taken in like that on occasions and feel so sorry for the woman concerned. Long hair which has a hard straight edge down the face on either side is not for older faces I feel. But as my hairdresser explained, a soft edge is actually flattering and having hair showing between the shoulders and head fills in a gap which can look disproportionate if the body below is large. So…. She did take quite a lot off but it is still shoulder length.
I have not shampoo-ed my hair now for three years. Horrors!! Not at all. Our hair is actually self cleaning and we are not meant to wash all the natural oils out every time the bell strikes. The first fortnight of not washing is a nightmare but once over that hurdle it is a piece of cake. I comb my hair every morning and occasionally go through it with one of those ionic brushes that are advertised to clean dogs’ coats rather than washing them. These brushes work on dogs and certainly do on me too!
My posh and expensive hairdresser was very huffy when I went to him the first few times after I had not washed it (couldn’t sell me any products I suppose!) so I left him and returned to some-one 20 miles away who I used to go to. She was trained by Raymond in London years ago and cuts most beautifully. She has apprentices and always shows them my hair as an example of how not washing hair can be successful. I save a fortune on hair products and never have bad hair days. It wouldn’t work if you want to keep changing your style but other than having different lengths I am quite happy with the basic cut I have had for years.
Next I had a light lunch sitting by the river Exe in the sun on one of those picnic tables so popular in pubs. The old bridge at Exebridge spanning the River Exe was at one end of the garden with a laburnum in full flower between the bridge and me. I couldn’t resist getting my camera out for the photo above. It was utterly beautiful with the shallow fast flowing water only yards away. Unfortunately all the tables with umbrellas were taken and I could feel the sun burning my arm so I wrapped my paper table napkin around it. When I got home I put some Rebound on as I burn very easily. Usually I put Sunbrero on my exposed skin but I was caught out without it to-day. Sunbrero has an SPF of 40, goes on easily and does not smell of vanilla like most makes. I need it around mid-day when the sun is soooo hot. Both these products may be bought from www.ingoodfettle.com.
After years of being told to avoid the sun, the new thinking is that we do need some time soaking up the rays to provide us with Vitamin D. Thank goodness the days of coating ourselves in oil and frying our skin for hours are over. A sensible balance is called for and during the mid-day sun it is the time to be in the shade.
Scientists have produced more evidence that vitamin D has an important role in keeping the brain in good working order in later life.
The Health section of the BBC News issued the following report last month: VITAMIN D "KEY" TO HEALTHY BRAIN. 'A study of over 3,000 European men aged 40-79 found those with high vitamin D levels performed better on memory and information processing tests.
The University of Manchester team believe vitamin D may protect cells or key signalling pathways in the brain.' An interesting bit of information which I have no hesitation in following. A good excuse to get off this computer right now and go and do some pottering in the garden - it is too hot for anything too strenuous until the cool of the evening.
So here's to health ,wealth and happiness to us all. Janet